Folding clothes hanger

ABSTRACT

A modular foldable clothes hanger device comprised of a first body half and a second body half connected together by a hinge held together by a hinge pin. Each of said first body half and said second body half comprises a slot designed to receive a folding arm extension body that folds into said slot, with a first arm extension body rotatably connected to the first body and a second arm extension body rotatably connected to the second body half. Each of the first and second arm extension body fold into the slot on each first and second body half. A hook is attached to the hinge pin. The first body half and the second body half move together and apart by the hinge into a folded or unfolded configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of clothes hangers, more particularly to plastic, folding clothes hanger.

2. Description of Related Art

Most hangers in use today are constructed from one piece of metal wire bent into the familiar hanger shape everyone is familiar. More recently, plastic hangers have become increasingly popular, offering lighter weight and often with built in hooks for receiving spaghetti straps and/or supplemental hanging loops popular on women's dresses. Both types of hangers share problems relating to storage and transportation.

As anyone familiar with common rigid hangers of metal wire or plastic, it is very frustrating to attempt to store unused hangers other by simply leaving hanging in the corner of a closet. Bundles of hangers placed in a box, for example, inevitably become intermixed and tangled together. If one desires to take hangers on a trip to hang clothes while on vacation, the hangers will tangle up and prove to be too bulky to be fully practical.

Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art a hanger device, which will facilitate ease of transport and exhibits a compact, lightweight design allowing for easy storage or packing to carry on a vacation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A modular foldable clothes hanger device comprised of a first body half and a second body half connected together by a hinge held together by a hinge pin. Each of said first body half and said second body half comprises a slot designed to receive a folding arm extension body that folds into said slot, with a first arm extension body rotatably connected to the first body and a second arm extension body rotatably connected to the second body half. Each of the first and second arm extension body fold into the slot on each first and second body half. A hook is attached to the hinge pin. The first body half and the second body half move together and apart by the hinge into a folded or unfolded configuration.

The modular foldable clothes hanger device further comprises a ball-slot cutout at the end of the hinge pin for receiving a ball retention at the end of a swivel hook, the swivel hook connected to the hinge pin using the ball-slot cutout and the ball retention.

The hinge pin and hinges can comprise a locking mechanism.

The locking mechanism comprises a male and female matching slot or a friction fit.

The modular foldable clothes hanger device further comprises a cutout molded into the first and second body into which the swivel hook fits into when the first and second body fit together in the folded configuration.

The first and second folding arm extension body comprises a molded shoulder hook on a top side.

The first and second folding arm extension body comprises a cutout support hook on a bottom side.

The modular foldable clothes hanger device comprises a plastic material selected from the group of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides (PA), polycarbonate (PC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS).

Advantages

1. Improved convenience

2. Improved portability and storability.

3. Reduced size.

4. Increased utility.

The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the ensuing descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the first half of a hanger main body, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the second half of a hanger main body, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the folding extension with a molded shoulder hook member to prevent slippage of shirts, sweaters, and such and a separate cutout support hook for receiving a spaghetti strap or support loop, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of a hinge pin with a ball retention member for receiving the second half of a hanger main body, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of swivel hook for fitting to the hinge pin, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of the assembled hanger partially folded, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of the assembled hanger fully folded, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the assembled hanger open and fully extended, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention and their advantages may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1-8, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.

Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the Figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are numerous modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.

It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.

Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention.

Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may be formulated to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present Application or of any further Application derived therefrom.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.

Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention.

As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first half of a hanger main body. Hanger half 100 includes hanger body 105. Hanger body 105 can be made from a moldable, rigid plastic, such as an injection molded plastic. Acceptable plastic formulations can include in addition to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides (PA), polycarbonate (PC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS). Hanger body 105 can include a slotted construction with two walls of body 105 forming a “U” shaped cross-section providing a slot 110. A rounded cutout 115 on the top can be provided to accommodate a finger grip 316 (see FIG. 3). A hinge 120 can be provided to link with a second half 200, and a molded hook cutout 125 can be provided for accommodating a hanger hook 560 (see FIG. 5). A fastener hole 130 can receive a fastener assembly for folding arm extension 300 (see FIG. 3).

FIG. 2 is a side view of a second half of a hanger main body. Hanger half 200 includes hanger body 205. Hanger body 205 can be made from the same moldable, rigid plastic, such as an injection molded plastic as hanger body 105. Hanger body 205 can include a slotted construction with two walls of body 205 forming a “U” shaped construction providing a slot 210. A rounded cutout 215 on the top can be provided to accommodate a finger grip 316 (see FIG. 3). A hinge 220 can be provided to link with the first half 100, and a molded hook cutout 225 can be provided for accommodating a hanger hook 560 (see FIG. 5). A fastener hole 230 can receive a fastener assembly for folding arm extension 300 (see FIG. 3).

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the folding arm extension 300 of an embodiment. The folding arm extension body 305 can be formed from the same plastic as the two hanger halves 105 and 205. The folding arm extension body 305 can include a finger grip 316, an attachment opening 330 for receiving a fastener to rotatably secure the folding arm extension body 305 to halves 100 and 200, a molded shoulder hook 335 on the top side to prevent slippage of shirts, sweaters, and such, and a separate cutout support hook 340 for receiving a spaghetti strap or support loop of clothing on a bottom side.

FIG. 4 depicts a hinge pin 400. Hinge pin 400 includes a hinge shaft 405, which can have a ball retention 450 with a ball-slot cutout 455 for receiving a hanger hook 500 (see FIG. 5). Hinge pin 400 can be used to connect hinges 120 and 220 together of halves 100 and 200.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a swivel hook 500 for fitting to the hinge pin 400 to support a hanger on a closet rod. Swivel hook 500 can include a ball connector 556 for inserting into ball-slot cutout 455 as well as a curving hook 560 to hang on a closet rod.

FIG. 6 depicts a top view of an assembled hanger partially folded. The partially folded hanger assembly 600 can be formed by coupling first half 105 and second half 205 together. Two folding arm extension bodies 305 can connect to half bodies 105 and 205 using fasteners 631. The folding arm extension bodies 305 fold into slots 110 and 210 of half bodies 105 and 205 respectively. Finger grips 316 can fit into rounded cutout 115 and 215.

The ball retention 450 can accommodate ball connector 556 of swivel hook. Hook 560 as depicted is folded down into molded hook cutout 125, so that the two halves 105 and 305 can fold together to fit together flush.

FIG. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 folded together to fit together flush.

FIG. 8 show an embodiment of the fully open hanger 800 for use. Hanger 800 can include first hanger half 105 and second half 205 linked together by inserting a hinge pin 400 to couple hinges 120 and 220 together. A folding arm extension body 305 can attach to each of hanger half body 105 and hanger half body 205 to fold open at fasteners 631 and extend to either side as depicted. Hanger hook 560 can attach to a ball retention 450.

In an embodiment, hanger 800 can be folded together by rotating the folding arm extension bodies 305 into the two halves 105 and 205 and then folding the two halves 105 and 205 together using hinges 120 and 220 to fit together flush as depicted in FIG. 7 for storage or packing into a suitcase for a trip. The hinges 120 and 220 and hinge pin 400 can include a locking mechanism, such as a male and female matching slot or friction fit, to secure the hanger 800 halves 105 and 205 in an open unfolded or closed folded configuration.

In an embodiment, rather than a plastic, the hanger components can be constructed from a metal such as aluminum, an alloy, or thin gauge stainless steel.

The invention has been described herein using specific embodiments for the purposes of illustration only. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, however, that the principles of the invention can be embodied in other ways. Therefore, the invention should not be regarded as being limited in scope to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but instead as being fully commensurate in scope with the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A modular foldable clothes hanger device, comprising: a first body half and a second body half connected together by a hinge held together by a hinge pin; each of said first body half and said second body half comprised of a slot designed to receive a folding arm extension body that folds into said slot, with a first arm extension body rotatably connected to the first body and a second arm extension body rotatably connected to the second body half, each said first and second arm extension body foldable into the slot on each first and second body half; a hook attached to the hinge pin; wherein the first body half and the second body half move together and apart by said hinge into a folded or unfolded configuration.
 2. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, further comprising: a ball-slot cutout at the end of the hinge pin for receiving a ball retention at an end of a swivel hook, the swivel hook connected to the hinge pin using the ball-slot cutout and the ball retention.
 3. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, wherein the hinge pin and hinges comprise a locking mechanism.
 4. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a male and female matching slot or a friction fit.
 5. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, further comprising: a cutout molded into the first and second body into which the swivel hook fits into when the first and second body fit together in the folded configuration.
 6. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, wherein the first and second folding arm extension body comprises a molded shoulder hook on a top side.
 7. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, wherein the first and second folding arm extension body comprises a cutout support hook on a bottom side.
 8. The modular foldable clothes hanger device of claim 1, wherein the clothes hanger comprises a plastic material selected from the group of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides (PA), polycarbonate (PC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS). 